21/11/2025
It’s been quite revealing to scroll through the public comments on the G20 posts.
What they show, very clearly, is that many South Africans simply have no clear understanding of what the G20 is, why it matters, or how it affects the country. And this confusion is completely understandable — because there was no meaningful public education effort leading up to one of the most significant global events we’ve ever hosted.
Thus far, much of the coverage in print and broadcast media has centred on the glitz and glamour: the arrivals, the motorcades, the photo ops, the high-profile delegations. All very impressive — but none of it actually helps the average citizen understand what the G20 is, why South Africa is hosting, or what tangible relevance it holds for them.
For an international summit of this scale, one would reasonably expect a strong, coherent campaign well before the sudden spike in security, roadblocks, and police visibility. Instead, many South Africans were left surprised, confused, and scrambling to make sense of an event that appeared, to them, “out of the blue.”
This is not a reflection of public ignorance — it is a reflection of a communication gap.
A proactive, well-structured public-information rollout could have contextualised the purpose, benefits, and national significance of South Africa’s G20 presidency. When citizens understand the “why,” they engage with far more clarity and far less suspicion.
Perhaps, once the summit concludes, a comprehensive communication and perception audit would be advisable — not to point fingers, but to ensure that future national milestones are communicated with the transparency, consistency, and respect that citizens deserve.
